Please join us in praying for the Kurdish people, particularly ahead of a controversial independence referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan which is due to happen on 25th September.

The Kurds are one of the largest ethnic groups of the Middle East, but don't have an independent state of their own. Around 25-35 million Kurds live in the mountainous Kurdish region, which straddles Turkey, Iran, Armenia, northern Iraq and Syria. The Kurdish army has played a key role in fighting ISIS. The majority of Kurds are Sunni Muslim, but there are a few other minority faiths, including a small number of Kurds who follow Jesus.

Kurds have pushed for an independent Kurdistan since the end of World War I. The Iraqi Kurds are holding an independence referendum later this month, though there are fears this will lead to fresh conflict in the region.

Pray for the Kurdish people and the upcoming referendum:

Thank God for the small number of Kurdish believers, that God would sustain them and that their numbers would grow.

Pray that the Bible would be fully translated into Kurdish languages.

Pray that Christian media, including ours, would reach Kurds with the Good News, and that there would be a hunger to know more. (We don't work specifically amongst Kurds, but there is quite a bit of Christian media for Kurds in their own language already.)

Pray for a peaceful referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan, that the result won't lead to increased conflict.

Pray that the referendum results won't affect the rights of minorities, including Christians.

Further reading

If you'd like to find out more about the Kurds and the upcoming referendum, here are some useful links: